Continuous centrifugal separator and clarifier



Oct. 22, 1940. HOWE 2,218,532

CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR AND CLARIFIER Filed March 5, 1957 Patented Oct. 22, 194 0 PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR AND CLARIFIER Andrew F. Howe, University City, Mo., assignor to B H and M Company, St. Louis, Mo, a. corporation of Missouri Application March 5, 1937, Serial No. 129,144

3 Claims.

This invention relates to continuous centrifugal separators and clarifiers, and has special reference to separators and clarifiers for use in detaching solids and the like from fluids in which they are sustained or immersed.

An object of the invention is to provide a separator and clarifler for detaching or separating solids from fluids and for discharging the solids through one outlet from the separator and the fluids through another outlet from the separator, so that the discharged fluids will be nearly free from any solids even though the solids remain in the separator during the discharge of the clarified fluid therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved centrifugal separator and clarifier including a rotary bowl into which the mixture of fluids and solids is delivered while the bowl is in rapid rotation, and to provide rotary mechanism in the bowl for causing the solids to deposit upon a detachable bottom closing the lower end of the bowl while the clarified fluid flows from the bowl through an opening at the top thereof, and to provide means for opening the bottom of the bowl from time to time to discharge the solids therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for rotating the bowl and the device for settling the solids at varying speeds so as to cause the mechanism to function properly by discharging clarified fluid from the top of the bowl and the detached or separated solids from the bottom of the bowl.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a centrifugal separator and clarifier embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an outer side elevation of a portion of the driving or operating mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a part of the mechanism that is illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a part of the electrical control mechanism illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. p

The specific embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a rigid supporting frame l,

l which may be a housing having substantially imperforate walls forming an enclosure into and through which the detached solids are discharged. The housing has an outlet passage 2 through which the clarified fluids which were included in the original mixture of solids and fluids are discharged after the solids and fluids have been separated. The housing includes a number of webs 3 supporting a central journal member 4. A tubular shaft 5 is journalled in vertically spaced bearings 6 and 1 within the journal member 4 and supported by shoulders 8 and 9 formed within said journal member 4. The upper end of the shaft 5 is attached by fasteners ill to a horizontal wall portion ll attached to the lower end of a receiving bowl l2 by bolts or otherwise. A number of outlet openings l3 are formed through the wall II. An annular flange l4 integral with the wall H seats upon the upper end of the journal member 4.

A movable bottom wall or valve [5 has a central opening through which the upper end of the tubular shaft 5 extends, and said wall supports in its upper side an annular gasket l6 movable into contact with an annular flange l1 formed within the lower portion of the bowl l2 so as to close the lower end of said bowl, and is movable 2 downwardly toward the wall II and out of contact with the flange ll in order to open the lower end of the bowl and permit the detached and deposited solids to be discharged centrifugally through the. openings l3 into the housing frame 25 l. The valve wall I5 is connected with the bowl wall H by guide pins l8 attached to the wall II and extending upwardly through holes in the valve wall [5 to permit vertical sliding movements of said valve wall.

An electro-magnet l9 has its armature 20 pivotally connected with the underside of the valve wall 15 and is moved upwardly when the electromagnet is energized, and is movable downwardly by gravity and by the weight of the valve wall l5 and the solids or substances supported thereby so as to move said valve wall out-of contact with the flange ll to provide an opening at the bottom of the bowl 12 through which the solids are discharged centrifugally from the bowl l2. The electric circuit wires 2| and 22 lead to the electro-magnet through a housing 23 mounted in the frame I and through the journal member 4, and thence through an opening in the flange l4 to connection with the electro-magnet IS. A shaft 24 extends through the tubular shaft 5 and is supported by a bearing 25 mounted on the upper end of said shaft 5. A wall 26 is attached to the upper end of the shaft 24 within the bowl l2 and above the valve wall l5 and cooperates with the 50 inicating with the outlet passage 2.

tegral with the lower end of said tube, and a conical series of flights 29 integral with the tube" 21 and the flange 29, is mounted on and attached A funnel hopper 3| is supported by and 'ex-' tends through an opening inthe upper wall of the'lid 32 and downwardlyjinto the upper end ofthe' tube 21 for the purpose of conducting the fluids and the solids contained therein into the tube 21, from which the fluids and the solids. are discharged into the bowl I2 through openings 33 at the lower end of the tube 21.

The upper end of the bowl I2 is provided with a wall 34 separated from an inner wall 35 by a space 36, from which space passages 31 open to the'outside of the bowl I2 for the discharge of the clarified fluids into the space 38 commu- The wall 35 is formed with a large central opening 39 communicating with the space 36 and the wall 34 is formed with a smaller opening 40. Thus,

the inner margin of the wall 34 extends inwardly beyond the inner margin of the wall 35, and constitutes a battle for deflecting at least a considerable portion of the clarified fluids into the space 36 and thence through the passages 31 into the receiving space 38. However, whenever all of the clarified fluids cannot pass through the space 36 and the passages 31, the remaining portion thereof may pass through the opening 40 into the. space .38.

A drive pulley 4| is attached to the shaft anda separate drive pulley 42 is attached to the shaft 24, so that said shafts may be rotated independently and at different speeds. A motor 43 has its shaft 44 attached to pulleys 45 and 46 provided with driving connections 41 and 48 to" the pulleys 4| and 42, respectively, so that said pulleys may be rotated at different speeds by the motor. A disc 49 is rotative on an axis 50 and has an arcuate metallic contact member 5| attached thereto provided with a space 52 between its ends, and is rotated about said axis by driving connections including a friction disc 53 mounted on an axle 54 rotated by a worm. pinion 55 so that, when the pinion 55 is rotated, the disc 49 will be rotated. Contact members 56 and 51 are pressed against the arcuate contact member 5| by springs 58 and 59, respectively, from which the wires 2| and 22 lead so that, as the disc 49 is rotated, the circuit to the electro-magnet is automatically opened and closed, being opened when the contact members 56 and 51 are out of engagement with the arcuate contact member SI, and being closed when said contact members 56 and 51 are in contact with said arcuate contact member 5|. Thus, when the contact members 56 and 51 are out of engagement or contact with the arcuate contact member 5|, electrical energy to the electromagnet I9 is stopped, said electro-magnet becomes unenergized, and the valve plate I5 drops downwardly from the flange I6 and separated therefrom by an intervening space through which the solids settled or deposited in the bowl I2 are discharged outwardly through the openings I3. f The specific construction and arrangement of this electrical device is unimportant and may be varied as widely'as possible without departure from the nature and principle of the invention. Also, the connections 60 for varying the relative speeds of rotation of the pulleys 45 and 46 may be varied since said connections are known and specific description thereof pa connection with the-present invention is unnecessary.

Thisentire mechanism is capable of continuous operation and is o erative to separate liquids of different w ts from each other and to clarify the/respective liquids by separating the solids therefrom. For instance, in" the specific embodiment of the invention shown, if a mixture of liquids of different weights is to be separated and clarified and the separated and clarified liquids discharge separately, the heavier liquid will pass through the outlet space 36 and may be conducted therefrom to any point of delivery, and the lighter liquid discharged through the outlet 40 and conducted therefrom to any separate point of delivery. The specific means for conducting the separated and clarified liquids to different points of delivery is not shown and any appropriate conduits for that purpose may be pro vided.

Additionally, the separator is kept in a clean condition because of the flow of the separated and clarified liquids upwardly and the discharge downwardly of the solids even if a small amount of liquid adheres to the solids. Because of the capacity to separate and clarify mixtures of liquids of different weights and to maintain the machine in continuous operation and in a permanently cleaned condition, this machine is of great advantage.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my invention comprises a rotary solid bowl I2 having therein rotary mechanism 29, etc. with a communicating passage21, through which the mixed solids and liquids may be conducted into the bowl. Since the bowl I2 and the mechanism 29 etc. rotate at diiferent or difierential speeds, the solids will be moved downwardly and deposited upon the valve plate I5, and the clarified liquid will be discharged upwardly and outwardly through the opening 39 and the space 36; or, if necessary, will be partially discharged through the opening 40 into the space 38 and thence through the outlet opening 2. The mechanism for rotating these bowls at the differential speeds desired to efiect the separation of the solids from the liquids and to clarify or purify the liquids may be varied as widely as permissible within the scope of the equivalent limits without departure from the nature and principle of the invention. And the separating mechanism comprising the bowl I2 and the separate rotating devices 29 may lower portion of the bowl for centrifugal separation, elements supported by said tube and extending downwardly through said second passage for discharging the solids downwardly through said second passage toward said outlet'passage, and mechanism for controlling the flow of solids toward said outlet opening.

2. A centrifugal separator comprising a bowl supported for rotation about a vertical axis and having an opening through the top for the discharge of fluids by centrifugal action and having an outlet passage through the bottom for the discharge of solids by centrifugal action, a tube in said bowl for conducting mixed fluids and solids into the lower portion of the bowl and having an opening near its lower end for the passage of said fluids and solids into said bowl for centrifugal separation, a rotary wall element below said opening from said tube supporting said tube and having its margin separated from the wall of said bowl by a relatively narrow space for the passage of solids to said outlet passage, downwardly diverging flights having their upper ends attached to said tube and extending downwardly through said space beyond the lower end of said tube, a device for controlling the passage of solids from said space toward said outlet passage, mechanism for operating said device intermittently during the rotation of the bowl alternately to permit and prevent passage of solids to said outlet passage, an operating machine, and mechanisms operated by said machine for rotating said bowl and said tube, respectively, and thereby said flights.

3. A centrifugal separator comprising a bowl supported for rotation about a vertical axis and having oppositely disposed passages for the discharge of fluids and solids respectively, a rotary element in said bowl forming a narrow passage for the downward movement of solids toward the passage for discharge of solids, a tube for conducting mixed fluids and solids into said bowl, a series of downwardly diverging flights attached to said tube and extending downwardly through said narrow passage, a device in said bowl between said narrow passage and said outlet passage for solids controlling intermittent discharge of solids from said bowl during rotation of said bowl and said flights, and mechanisms for rotating said bowl and said flights, respectively, at difierential speeds.

- ANDREW F. HOWE. 

